(Content provided by: Jennifer Warner, Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD, on Tuesday, March 18, 2003,WebMD Feature)

As the threat of terrorist attack appears more real every day, officials have some advice on how to prevent and prepare for possible terrorist attack. Aside from the usual "be aware of your surroundings" rhetoric, new guidelines urge Americans to take more practical steps ranging from assembling a "disaster supply kit" to keeping a supply of duct tape and plastic sheeting on hand to seal off their homes if necessary.

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security say most of the precautions aren't necessarily new and are based on disaster preparedness programs of the American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The report outlines recommended responses to a variety of potential acts of terrorism, including bomb scares as well as biological, chemical, nuclear, and cyber attacks and is the first major public education effort launched by the newly formed Department of Homeland Security.

High-risk targets include military and civilian facilities, international airports, large cities, and high profile landmarks. But terrorists might also target food and water supplies, large public gatherings, utilities and corporate centers.

The nature of terrorism means there is often little or no warning, so officials says preparedness is the best defense.

• Know where emergency exits are located.
• Keep fire extinguishers in working condition, know where they are, and how to use them.
• Learn first aid (contact the local chapter of the American Red Cross for information on training).
• Building owners should keep a kit containing the following in designated place on each floor: portable radio with batteries, several flashlights and extra batteries, first aid kit and manual, several hard hats, and fluorescent tape to rope off dangerous areas.

First and foremost, in this type of attack tune in to your radio or TV for instructions from authorities about whether to evacuate or remain indoors. They will advise you of what to do during and after the attack. Among other things you can do:

• Assemble a disaster supply kit containing: battery-powered radio; non-perishable food and drinking water; a roll of duct tape, scissors, and plastic for doors, windows and vents to seal off an internal room from air that may contain dangerous chemicals; first aid kit, sanitation supplies including soap, water, and bleach.
• In case of attack, turn off all ventilation, including furnaces, air conditioners, vents and fans and seek shelter in a sealed off, internal room.
• If you are outside in an unprotected area during an attack, attempt to get upwind of the contaminated area, seek shelter as soon as possible, and listen to your radio or TV for further instructions.
• After a chemical or biological attack use caution with helping others. Remove all clothing and other items in contact with the body, flush eyes with lots of water, gently wash face and hair with soap and water, blot other contaminated body areas with a cloth soaked in soapy water and rinse with clear water, and change into uncontaminated clothes (clothing stored in drawers or closets is likely uncontaminated).

• Learn the warning signals and all sources of warning in your community.
• Assemble a disaster supply kit with enough food, water, medications, fuel and personal items for two weeks.
• Find out what buildings in your area have been designated as fallout shelters, and give everyone in your household clear instructions about where these shelters are located.

• Do not look at the flash or fireball, it could be blinding.
• If you hear the warning signal, take cover below ground if possible. If you are caught outside, take cover under anything that might offer protection and lie flat on the ground and cover your head.
• If you are close enough to see the flash of an explosion, the radioactive fallout will arrive in about 20 minutes. But fallout can also travel hundreds of miles, so take shelter and stay there until instructed by officials to leave.

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A nuclear blast resulting from a terrorist act, a nuclear accident or an all out nuclear war would have a devastating effect. The energy released from a nuclear explosion in a number of different ways:

• The shock wave created by the blast will cause massive destruction. As distance from the blast increases, the shock wave decreases in pressure. The effects of the shock wave depend largely upon the yield of the nuclear weapon.

• An intense ultraviolet flash lasting only a fraction of a second occurs upon detonation. This ultraviolet flash can damage the retina and exposed skin. A fireball also propagates from the blast igniting combustible material in its path. The effects of the fireball are minimized as distance from the detonation site increases.

• A nuclear blast will generate an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that is extremely harmful to electronic equipment and power/communication lines.

• While any nuclear explosion produces some fallout, a nuclear blast occurring closer to the ground will eject large amounts of vaporized material into the atmosphere which will rain down as radioactive fallout.

Make Your Survival Plans

Communities have different ways to notifying its residents of emergencies. You should determine the method(s) used by your community to notify you in the event of a disaster.

A below ground shelter will provide the best protection from the radiation fallout following a nuclear explosion. Your shelter should have adequate ventilation, light and sanitation. See Disaster Shelters for more detailed information.

Have enough food, water and medicines to last you an extended period of time. Consider adding Potassium Iodide tablets to your emergency supplies, as Potassium Iodide can help to block radiation absorption. See Emergency Supplies for more detailed information.

A nuclear explosion will cause an intensely bright flash followed by a thunderous explosion both of which can be perceived from over a hundred miles from the blast site. Electrical systems may also fail when a nuclear blast occurs.

Don't Look at the Blast.

Do not look at the flash, as it can cause major damage to the retina.

Upon seeing the flash from the nuclear explosion, you may have no more than one second to find cover. If you are within a few feet of cover, move to the cover immediately; otherwise drop to the ground and cover your head and neck.

If you are more than ten miles from the nuclear detonation, you are better off seeking shelter as opposed to evacuating. Traffic jams and other complications will more than likely occur as great numbers of people flee from the detonation site.

A Fallout Shelter will offer you the best protection from radioactive fallout after a nuclear explosion. If a fallout shelter is unavailable, put as much shielding between you and the fallout as possible. A basement some distance away from the blast area will help protect you from radiation.

Consider adding Potassium Iodide tablets to your emergency supplies, as Potassium Iodide can help to block radiation absorption in the event of a radiological emergency.